Antonio Gates on Ladarius Green’s short and long-term potential, why he has every faith he can step up during his four-game suspension and what it meant to have the support of Philip Rivers when the news broke.

With plenty of weapons to remake a disappointing club, the Padres went peace sign.

A chance for the team’s sustainable future vanished and are we sure the rock star general manager was on the stage?

A.J. Preller surrendered on a silent count. Instead of shaking up baseball’s landscape, he went status quo. Or is it status woe?

That’s to be determined and yes we got goose bumps from Thursday’s unlikely, thrilling victory over the Mets, too. But are the last 14 games, of which the Padres have won 10, fool’s gold. Did a team which is finally showing its mettle, muddle up the future?

We get the Padres couldn’t strip down and sell a do-over stacked with prospects to a skeptical fan base. It’s fun having a lineup with names people recognize.

But Preller’s squad started the day eight games out of first, seven-and-half from a wildcard berth and four teams serving as obstacles.

We dig going all in, but wasn’t this where you stop digging your hole? Or does the swap of outfielder Abraham Almonte for Cleveland reliever Marc Rzepczynski move your needle?

The Padres need a shortstop — still do.

The Padres need a center fielder — still do.

The Padres need a leadoff hitter — still do.

The Padres need left-handed bats — still do.

The Padres need seeds for a fallow farm system — see above.

With such a wish list an eager major league baseball turned its eyes to the USA’s cul-de-sac. How would Preller turn this San Diego baby around.

Instead Preller double-downed on a strategy that’s delivered the league’s most shutouts and shouts out from detractors.

Preller made his mark by being bold in the offseason and that brought with it some rough patches. Otherwise, Preller’s isn’t on manager No. 2, before his full No. 1 season is complete.

After the meeting, both the NFL and the City denied that the letter existed, leading Dan to announce this morning who wrote the letter and sent it to him this morning. It was Mark Fabiani, Special Counsel to the President of the San Diego Chargers, Dean Spanos.

Here is the actual PDF file that was sent to Dan as an e-mail attachment:

And here is a screenshot that shows the time and date that this PDF was e-mailed to Dan from Fabiani:

]]>http://www.mighty1090.com/2015/07/31/update-the-lettergate-documents/feed/2DS Mark FabianiSan Diego Chargers special counsel to the president Mark Fabiani stands on the sidelines before an NFL football game between the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)Who should stay and who should go for Padres?http://www.mighty1090.com/2015/07/31/who-should-stay-and-who-should-go-for-padres/
http://www.mighty1090.com/2015/07/31/who-should-stay-and-who-should-go-for-padres/#commentsFri, 31 Jul 2015 16:57:59 +0000http://www.mighty1090.com/?p=37298With the trade deadline just hours away, the Padres are on the clock to figure out what to do, and hopefully how to fix, this struggling ball club. Despite winning 10 of their last 14 games, there’s thought the Padres will move several of the team’s biggest names. The question is, who should go and who shouldn’t?

That’s a legitimate question many didn’t think the Padres brass would be forced to ask themselves at the start of the year. But, the reality is this team isn’t as good as was hoped, and changes need to be made.

Here’s my take on some of the Padres biggest names who’ve mentioned in trade rumors:

Trade:

Justin Upton - It was known before the season even began that the acquisition of Justin Upton would likely be short lived. It’s just that the Padres thought it would be for the entire 2015 season. With Upton hitting the open market after this season, and the Padres, despite winning 10 of their last 14 games, seemingly out of the playoff hunt, it’s almost virtually certain he will be traded, and he should be. His asking price will be too steep for the Padres after this season. General manager A.J. Preller needs to replenish the farm system after last offseason’s cleansing, and trading Upton is his best chance at getting that process started. This one will hurt the optimists, but are the Padres really going to fork up the $200 plus million he will command in the offseason?

James Shields – Preller awarded Shields, 33, with the highest free agent contract in team history when he signed the veteran right hander to a four-year $75 million deal. Shields has been solid this season (8-4, 3.77 ERA in 133.2 innings pitched) but not as good as the team hoped he would be. I’m not a big fan of trading a high-profile free agent just after he signed but moving him will help offset a good chunk of the money the Padres are on the hook for next year. His $10 million salary this year jumps to $21 million the next three seasons. Given his age, and the number of innings he has on his track record, paying that kind of money for an aging pitcher just doesn’t seem like a good investment for the Padres. However, if other teams are asking the Padres to contribute significant money in any deal, I would hold on to him then. There’s nothing worse than paying high-profile players to play for other teams, and not get anything real back in return.

Joaquin Benoit – Benoit has perhaps been the Padres best reliever this season (6-4, 2.27 ERA in 43.2 innings pitched). But, his $8 million salary this season is hardly worth it since the Padres aren’t winning as expected. Coupled with closer Craig Kimbrel’s $9 million salary this season, that’s a lot of money tied to the back end of a bullpen for a losing club.

Don’t Trade:

Andrew Cashner & Tyson Ross – The Padres should hold on to the corps of their starting rotation. Cashner is under team control for one more season and Ross is for two. Both haven’t been as good as they were last year, but their ceilings are still high, and they’re likely better than anything the Padres would get back in return if either is traded, especially if management is truly hoping to contend in 2016. Both are 28 and in the prime of their careers. Additionally, the Padres currently don’t have any real studs waiting for a shot at the big leagues in the minors.

Craig Kimbrel – Trading Kimbrel, after assuming the massive contract for Melvin Upton Jr. to get him, would be a disaster for the Padres. Given the high expectations of this season and the impending sell-off, management is already toying with the minds of a tired fan base. Like Benoit, its tough to justify his salary, and role, on a losing club. But, he’s still only 27 and is under contract for two more years with a club option in 2018. If you want to win, you need a closer, and the Padres have the best in the business.

Why are we even talking about this?

Will Venable – Venable is a free agent after the season, but is a nice lefty off the bench and can play all three outfield spots. He’s not a starter, though so what’s the angle in trading him? Is a team going to give up a legit prospect for a bench player? No. With his age (32) and track record, Preller would be swapping bench players with another team. At least Venable is a solid guy in the clubhouse, the longest tenured Padre, and wants to be in San Diego.

Ian Kennedy – No way Preller gets anything measurable back in a trade that involves Kennedy. It would have to be a package deal, with Kennedy as an attachment. Maybe he saves a little cash, but again, nothing’s coming back to San Diego that will make a difference.

Jedd Gyorko: If Preller can get anyone to take on Gyorko’s contract (5 years, $35 million), all the more power to him. That would be great. Gyorko is likely another packaged deal player. He’d have to be thrown in with, say, Cashner or Ross. His contract, at this point, is of major concern since his numbers this year and last have come no where near his 2013 production as a rookie. I’ll say this though, don’t be surprised if a change of scenery for a young player with a lot of pop works out to his benefit.

-Andrew Burer (TWITTER: @andrewburer)

Who do you think should be traded and who shouldn’t? Let us know in the comments below.

(VIDEO: Padres manager Pat Murphy and outfielders Will Venable, Matt Kemp and Justin Upton discuss where the team is at after a 6-3 homestand and how they’re dealing with the upcoming trade deadline.)

Still a Padre, J-Up delivers game-winning HR – Padres.com
With rumors still swirling that Upton could be traded, the left fielder diverted all the attention away from the “will he or won’t he?” drama and onto the field. Upton blasted his second homer in two days in dramatic fashion, a go-ahead three-run shot off Jeurys Familia in the ninth inning to cap a comeback over the Mets.

7/30 Training Camp Highlights – Chargers.com
A number of wide receivers impressed, but Stevie Johnson showed his flair for the dramatic, high-pointing a perfect Philip Rivers’ dime to make an acrobatic, one-handed catch in traffic.

Robot umpires should be the future of baseball – Vox
On Tuesday night, at a minor league baseball game between the San Rafael Pacifics and the Vallejo Admirals, the home plate umpire called no balls or strikes. Instead, for the first time in history, a computer system did.

Captain Jack has been in foster care for over 400 days and is ready for a great family home. Unfortunately, SDTTS has SO MANY that it has been hard to get them all adopted. Captain Jack is healthy, friendly and eating well. He’s looking for a home with a minimum area outdoors of 15 x 20 with a small little dog type house, water bowl and some grass and weeds.
While he eats the natural grasses and weeds in the area, he also likes Romaine Lettuce, Cactus, Dark Greens, & Bermuda Grass Hay. SDTTS also provides several kinds of supplement foods to start off with. He will make a perfect pet for anyone with allergies and prefers an outdoor pet who can hang out with them while they garden. He will follow you around the yard and is friendly with children as well.
For more info about Turtles & Tortoises and how to properly care for them, visit SDTurtle.org, or better yet, bring the family to Balboa Park this Saturday and Sunday for the annual Turtle & Tortoise Society’s Annual Show, starting at 10 a.m. and going til 5 on Saturday and 4 on Sunday at Casa Del Prado, room 101. Free admission and parking.

What was the biggest story from day one of Chargers training camp and how will it evolve moving forward.

Philip Rivers & Darren Smith by Marty Caswell

Darren Smith and Marty Caswell reset a busy day from Chargers park, including a 25-minute conversation with Philip Rivers & why he feels a kinship with the San Diego Chargers fans and the uncertainty of their future.

Find out what Manti Te’o said about the moment it clicked for him on the field last season and how Antonio Gates came across after addressing his four game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. (And listen to his entire interview with Darren right HERE )

And finally, what did Rivers text Ladarius Green in the off-season?

Brandon Flowers on how long it takes to develop camaraderie, what excites him about this team & why he’s gone vegan.